The institution of Christian religion, vvrytten in Latine by maister Ihon Caluin, and translated into Englysh according to the authors last edition. Seen and allowed according to the order appointed in the Quenes maiesties iniunctions

Of Penance.

[ 14] In the next place they set Penance, of which they entreate so confu∣sely and disordredly, that consciences can beare away no sure or sounde thing of their doctrine. We haue alreadye in an other place declared at large, what we had learned out of the Scriptures concerning repen∣tance, and then what they also teache of it. Now we haue this onely to touch, what reason they had that raised vp the opinion, which hath here∣tofore reigned in Chirches and schooles, that it is a Sacramente. But first I will brefely saye somwhat of the vsage of the olde Chirche, the pretense whereof they haue abused to stablishe their fayned inuention. This order they kepte in publike penance, that they whiche had ful∣ly done the satisfactions enioyned them, were reconciled with solemne laying on of handes. That was the Signe of absolution, whereby both the sinner him selfe was raised vp before God with truste of pardon, and the Chirch was admonished gently to receyue him into fauor, put∣ting awaye the remembrance of his offence. This Cyprian oftentimes calleth, to geue peace. That this doing mighte bee of greater dignitie, and haue more commendation among the people, it was ordeined that y^e Bishops authoritie shold alway be vsed for y^e meane herein. Frō hense came y^t decree of y^e secōd councel at Carthage: Be it not lawful to a prest at y^e Masse publikely to recōcile a penitēt. And an other decree of y^e coū∣cel at Arausiū. Let those, which in time of their penāce departout of this life, be admitted to y^e Cōmuniō w^tout y^e laieng on of hādes vsed in recō∣ciling: if they recouer of their sicknesse let them stand in y^e degree of peni∣tētes, & whē y^e time is fully expired, let them receiue of the Bishop y^e laiēg on of handes vsed in recōciling. Againe y^e decree of the thirde councel at Carthage: Let not the prest without the authoritie of y^e Bishop, recōcile a penitent. All these tēded to this end, that y^e seueritie which they woulde haue to be vsed in y^e behalf, should not w^t to much lenitie grow in decay. Therfore they willed the Bishop to be iudge of it, which was likely that he would be more circūspect in y^e examinatiō thereof. Howbeit Cyprian

in a certaine place sheweth, that not only the Bishop, but also the whole Clergie layed their handes on him. For thus he sayth. At the ful tyme they do penance, then they come to the Communion, and by the layeng on of handes of the Bishop and the clergie, they receiue power to par∣take of the Communion. Afterwarde by processe of tyme it came to this poynt, that beside publike penance they vsed this ceremonie also in pri∣uate absolutions. Hereupon came that distinction in Gratian betwene publike and priuate reconciliation. I iudge that same olde vsage of which Cypriane maketh mention, to haue ben holy and healthfull for the Chirch, and I would that it were at this day restored. As for thys later, although I dare not disallow it, or at least speake more sharpelye against it, yet I thinke it to be lesse necessarie. Howsoeuer it be, yet we se y^t the layeng on of hādes in penāce is a ceremonie ordeined of men, not of God, which is to be set amōg meane things & outward exercises: and those verily which are not to be despised, but which ought to be in a lower degree, than those y^t are cōmēded vnto vs by y^e word of the Lord.

But y^e Romanistes & y^e scholemē, (which haue an ordinarie custome to [ 15] corrupt al things w^t wrōg expoūding them) do here very carefully tra∣uail in fynding out a Sacramēt. Neither ought it to seme any maruel, for they seke a knot in a rush. But where they haue it best, they leaue a thing entāgled, in suspēse, vncertaine, & cōfounded & trobled w^t diuersity of opiniōs. Thei say therfore either y^t y^e outward penāce is a Sacramēt, and if it be so, y^t it ought to be takē for a signe of y^e inwarde penance, that is, of the contrition of hart, which shalbe y^e thing of y^e Sacramēt: or that they both together are a Sacrament, not twoo Sacramentes, but one ful one. But, that the outwarde penance is only the Sacramēt: the in∣warde is both the thing & the Sacramēt: and y^t the forgeuenesse of syn∣nes is the thing & not the Sacrament. Let them which kepe in remē∣brance the definitiō of a Sacrament which we haue aboue set, examine therby y^t which these mē cal a Sacrament, & they shal fynd y^t it is not an outward ceremonie ordeined of the Lord for the cōfirming of our faith. If they cauil y^t my definitiō is not a law which they nede to obey: let thē heare Augustine, whō they faine y^t thei esteme as most holy visible Sa∣craments (sayth he) were ordeined for carnal mens sakes, y^t by degrees of Sacramētes they may be conueyed frō those things y^t are seen with eyes to those thinges y^t are vnderstāded. What like thing do either they thēselues see, or can they shewe to other in y^t which they call the Sacra∣mente of Penance? The same Augustine sayth in an other place: It is therfore called a Sacramēt, because in it one thing is seen, & an other thing is vnderstāded. That which is seen, hath a bodily forme: y^t which is vnderstanded, hath a spiritual frute. Neither doe these things in any wise agree with the Sacrament of penance, such as they faine it, where there is no bodily forme y^t may represent a spirituall frute.

And, to kil these beasts vpō their own fightīg place, if ther be any Sa∣cramēt [ 16] here to be sought, may it not be much more colerably said y^t y^e ab∣solutiō of y^e prest is a Sacramēt, thā penāce either inward or outwarde? For it might redily be said, y^t it is a ceremony to assure our faith of y^e for∣geuenesse of sines, & hath a promise of y^e keyes as thei cal it, Whatsoeuer ye shal bide or lose vpō earth, shalbe boūd or losed in heauen. But some mā wold haue obiected, y^t y^e most part of thē y^t are absolued of y^e prestes,

obteine no such thing by such absolution: wheras by their doctrine the Sacramentes of the newe law ought to worke in dede that which they figure. This were but to be laughed at. For, as in the Supper, they make a doble eating, a Sacramental eating which is egally common to good and to euil, & a spiritual eating which is only propre to y^e good: why might they not also faine y^e absolutiō is receiued twoo wayes? Yet could I not hetherto vnderstād what thei meant w^t this their doctrine, which we haue alredy taught how farr it disagreeth frō y^e truth of God, whē we purposely entreated of y^t argument. Here my mynde is only to shew, y^e this dout withslādeth not, but y^t they may cal y^e absolutiō of the Prest a Sacramēt. For they might answere by y^e mouth of Augustine, that sanctificatiō is without y^e visible Sacrament, & the visible Sacra∣ment without inwarde sanctification. Againe, y^t the Sacramentes doe worke in y^e only elect y^t which they figure. Againe, that some do putt on Christ so farr as to y^e partaking of y^e Sacramēt, other some to sanctifi∣catiō: y^e one, the good and euil egally do: this other, the good only. Tru∣ly they haue more than childishly erred and be blinde in y^e clere sunne, which trauailing with great hardnesse, yet espyed not a thing so playne and open to euery man.

[ 17] Yet least they should waxe to proude, in what part soeuer they set the Sacrament, I deny y^t it ought rightfully to be taken for a Sacramēt. First, because there is no special promise to it, which is the only substāce of a Sacramēt. Againe, because whatsoeuer ceremonie is here shewed fourth, it is the mere inuention of men: wheras we haue alredy proued that the ceremonies of Sacramentes can not be ordeined but of God. Therfore it was a lye and a deceite which they haue inuented of y^e Sa∣crament of penance. Thys fayned Sacrament they haue garnished w^t a mete commendation, calling it a seconde borde after shipwrecke: be∣cause if a man haue by sinning marred the garmēt of innocence whiche he receiued in Baptisme, he may by penance repaire it. But it is the sayeng of Hierome, Whoes soeuer it be, it can not be excused but y^t it is vtterly wicked, if it be expoūded after their meaning. As though Bap∣tisme be blotted out by sinne, and is not rather to be called to remem∣brāce of euery sinner, so oft as he thinketh of the forgeuenesse of sinne, that he may therby gather vp himselfe, and recouer courage, and stren∣gthen hys Fayth, that he shal obteine the forgeuenesse of synnes which is promised him in Baptisme. But that which Hierome hath spoken hardly & vnproperly, that by penance Baptisme is repaired (frō which they fal away y^t deserue to be excōmunicate from the Chirch) these good expositors drawe to their wickednesse. Therefore you shall moste fittly speake, if you cal Baptisme the Sacrament of penance, sithe it is geuen for a confirmation of grace, and seale of confidēce, to them y^t purpose re∣pentance. And least you should thinke thys to be our deuise, beside this that it agreeth with the words of the Scripture, it appeareth y^t it was in the olde Chirch commonly spoken like a most certaine principle. For in the boke of Fayth to Peter, which is sayd to be Augustines, it is cal∣led the Sacrament of Fayth and of penāce. And why flee we to vncer∣taine sayenges? As though we could require any thing more plaine, thā that which the Euāgelist reciteth: that Ihon preached the Baptisme of repentance vnto forgeuenesse of synnes?

Notes

• Epi lib. i ep. ii.
• ca. xxxiii.
• Decret. 26. que. 6
• Libr. 4. Sen. di. 22. cap. 2
• Libr. 3. que. vet. testam.
• Sermo∣ne de bapt. in∣fant.
• Lib. iii. que ver. Testam. De bapt. paruul. Libr. v. de bapt. contra. Donat.
• Lib. 4. Sen. dist. xiiii. cap. i. De peni. disti▪ i. cap. ii.
• Decret. xv. que. i cap. fir∣missime. Marce. l.iiii. Luke. iii.iii.